I am an English teacher and Creative Writing teacher in the East Bay area of San Francisco. I graduated from the University of San Francisco with a Masters in Writing. I also teach Fiction writing classes in the East Bay. You can find my writing in many fine literary magazines, both on-line and in print. I like to blog about literary magazines and books I'm reading, and also about the act of writing.

Thursday, October 4, 2007

"Stories I heard when I went home for my grandmother's funeral" (Nov./ Dec.) Storyglossia.com."Dry and Yellow" (November) in Iowa Writes (a branch of the University of Iowa's on-line website."A Good Swim" (2007 / end of year) in Farallon Review (a new magazine put out by Tim Foley and friends).

Right now, you can read "Ration Coupons" at VerbSap.comor "Dirt to Vine to Grape to Glass" at R.KV.RY Literary Journal (ninetymeetingsinninetydays.com)

Interesssting comments about publishing on-line. I think it's an area many writers worry about--to on-line or not to on-line. To publish in newer magazines and have more coverage or wait and submit to longer running presses, but have less chance of publication. What are your thoughts?

Tuesday, October 2, 2007

So, I've had a few writer friends talk to me about whether on-line publishing is legit. Are those magazines "as good as" print magazines. And my answer is that--yes, most are. I have some of my favorites, of course, because (me, me, me) they've accepted my work, but I've also submitted to places that have really strong writing, strong writers published on them. And then there's publishing on-line for personal reasons. Maybe you have friends in the on-line community who have a website and they want to read your stuff. My advice to you--only send your best. You shouldn't be sending your work out unless it is your best. If there's something in your mind that says, well, this isn't quite that good, so I'll submit it on-line, well then, that piece needs work. But I do have to say I've had more success with short-shorts and flash on-line. I take edgy pieces that I adore and send them to on-line venues. I think that the market might be different on-line. When I'm reading on-line, I have less time so I go for shorter pieces. I have less patience if a story doesn't grab me right away. That's just my own personal attention-deficit disorder. I like interesting titles. Recent website that I visited, read, liked, and submitted to (or I'm intending to submit to) are Vestal Review, Storyglossia, Wheelhouse, Anderbo, The Adirondack Review, and Cutthroat's new on-line magazine. Check them out. There's more, but I'll stop now because I gotta go see a man about a mule.

Places for Writers

Jackey

As Is

List Poem: Love

Clean house, makeup, the final line, acceptance letter, SASE, new printer, doodle shapes, picture of blue horses, after great sadness leaves on a tree, full mailbox, city at night, looking down a steep hill, things that come in threes, not too much synchronicity, Police on grammys, forgotten memory card, free stuff, vintage gold dress, riding on aeroplanes, making connections, forgotten ending remembered, a cup of coffee right now, mother voice, losing the last five pounds, summer memories, break, praise in my mouth.

Awards or Semiawards

Semifinalist: Iowa Short Fiction Awards, 2008, Short story collection, Stories I Heard When I Went Home for My Grandmother's Funeral,

Finalist: Black Lawrence Press Hudson Prize 2008, Short story collection, Still Slipping on the Ice.

Finalist: Elixir Press Chapbook Awards 2007, Short-short story collection, I'll Tell You That Story in a Minute.

Finalist: Black Lawrence Press Ontario Prize 2006, Short story collection, Nobody Has to Die for It to Tell You Something.

Semifinalist: University of Iowa Ficition Awards 2005, Short story collection, Nobody Has to Die for It to Tell You Something.